VP Chimulirenji warns corrupt ministers: Malawi Cabinet undergo orientation

Malawian vice-president Everton Chimulirenji has warned that President Peter Mutharika will not hesitate to sack or prosecute any of his ministers implicated in corruption.

Chimulirenji was speaking at Sunbird Nkopola Lodge in the eastern lakeshore tourism district of Mangochi on Monday at an orientation workshop for the cabinet.

“As ministers and deputy ministers, you are required to lead this fight. I urge you all to desist from engaging in corrupt practices,” said Chimulirenji.

He said President’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) stance against corruption remains zero tolerance.

The 24-member cabinet ministers were appointed by President Mutharika who won re-election for the next five years during the May 21 Tripartite Elections.

Chimulirenji said it’s time to fight corruption, fraud, theft and other economic crimes as evils that derail efforts in the fight against poverty and underdevelopment.

He said the President has said in the past, the law will take its course on any Minister, Deputy Minister or any public officer who will be proven to be involved in corrupt practices.

“I am happy that you will have a presentation on this subject, which will among other things highlight the penalties that the law prescribes for those proven to be engaged in corrupt practices,” the vice-president said.

According to the Vice President the workshop is very important as it will serve to equip Cabinet members, with skills and knowledge that will need to efficiently and effectively execute their functions.

“As you may all be aware, Cabinet is a very important body within the political executive, where important decisions regarding the Governments policy agenda, legislation, spending proposals and political strategy are undertaken. This, therefore, requires that Cabinet appointees should receive appropriate orientation in order to guarantee their effective participation in decision making at that level,” said Chimulirenji reading a prepared speech.

He added: “Our country has, over the years, been facing a number of structural challenges that have been hampering our efforts to deal with poverty afflicting many of our people. In the last five years, therefore, measures to deal with poverty among Malawians have been implemented concurrently with measures aimed at dealing with these structural challenges.”

Chimulirenji said the vision to build a productive, competitive and resilient economy has been set, and this DPP led Government has decided to embark on a comprehensive economic empowerment programme targeting all Malawians as a way of realizing this vision.

The orientation workshop would be held in camera.

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